miserable definition - Dictionary

Dictionary

mis·er·a·ble [ mízzərəb'l ]

adjective

Definition:

1. very unhappy: experiencing a serious lack of contentment or happiness

feeling miserable

2. very unpleasant: causing or accompanied by discomfort, unpleasantness, or unhappiness

a miserable weekend

3. contemptible: deserving contempt or condemnation

4. inadequate: inadequate, often insultingly or embarrassingly inadequate, in quantity or quality

a miserable score

5. dirty or squalid: dirty, squalid, and lacking any comfort

6. Caribbean badly behaved: troublesome and badly behaved ( especially used of children )

[15th century. Via Old French< Latin miserabilis "pitiable" < miser "unfortunate"]

mis·er·a·bly adverb

Cultural Note


	Les Misérables, a novel (1862) by French writer Victor Hugo. Set in mid-19th-century France, it tells the story of Jean Valjean, whose attempts to escape his criminal past are dogged by guilt, fate, and the persistent police inspector Javert. This epic tale is noted for its gripping plot and vivid descriptions of events such as the battle of Waterloo.